Westboro school board chairman charged with punching neighbor at pool

WESTBORO — School Committee Chairman Ilyse Levine-Kanji was arraigned Wednesday in Westboro District Court on a charge of assaulting a neighbor at the neighborhood pool in June.

Moments after her arraignment, Clerk Magistrate Maryanne Pozzessere held a show-cause hearing to determine the validity of a counter-complaint Ms. Levine-Kanji filed alleging that she was assaulted by the neighbor, Zahra P. Parsapour, 42, of 7 Rocklawn Road. After nearly two hours of testimony from the two women and several witnesses, Ms. Pozzessere determined there was no probable cause to file charges against the neighbor.

Judge Vito Virzi continued the assault case against Ms. Levine-Kanji, 47, of 11 Rocklawn Road, to Oct. 30 and ordered her to not have any contact with the neighbor.

According to court records, Ms. Parsapour was hosting a pool party for her daughter at the neighborhood pool on Hundreds Road about 4 p.m. June 20. Ms. Levine-Kanji was at the pool, but not a part of the party. Ms. Parsapour told police Ms. Levine-Kanji became upset because she had not followed proper protocol while planning and hosting the party. Ms. Parsapour said she approached Ms. Levine-Kanji and asked her to calm down.

"At that instant Levine-Kanji got up from the chair she was sitting in and punched Parsapour in the face under the left eye. Levine-Kanji then threw at least two more punches, hitting Parsapour in the front of the left shoulder," police wrote in the report.

In a press release police issued after the incident, when Ms. Parsapour came to the station three hours later to file a complaint, she had an "obvious injury from being struck with a fist under her eye."

Police said they contacted Ms. Levine-Kanji but she declined to be interviewed.